Diabetes: Thousands could have the condition without knowing it (picture posed by model)

Hundreds of thousands of people are living with diabetes without realising it, an online test has revealed.

An estimated 630,000 have an undiagnosed type 2 form of the disease, which is linked to obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet, according to Diabetes UK.

One in 16 people who were interviewed after taking the charity’s online risk assessment said they were later diagnosed with the condition.

The test asks participants for details such as their age, ethnicity and weight and then calculates the person’s risk of type 2. Those identified as being at high risk are advised to see their GP.

Diabetes UK said the online risk assessment had been taken by more than 400,000 people, and 1,000 were questioned for the follow-up research.

Barbara Young, chief executive of the charity, said: ‘If left unchecked, type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating health complications such as amputation, blindness and stroke. It is so important that people with type 2 are diagnosed as quickly as possible so that they can start getting the education and healthcare they need to manage it.’

Around 3.8million Britons have diabetes – type 1 and type 2 – but this is expected to rise to 5million within ten years.

Earlier this month it was revealed that one in seven hospital patients has the disease. It currently costs the NHS £10billion but this figure is expected to soar to £17billion by 2025.

Mrs Young added: ‘At the moment, too many people with the condition are not being identified quickly enough and this is why half of people with type 2 already have signs of complications by the time they are diagnosed.

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‘But the fact that a significant number of people taking our online Risk Score have undiagnosed type 2 suggests we are reaching the right people with it and those people diagnosed as a result are in a position to start getting the support to give them the best possible chance of a long and healthy life.’

Despite the prevalence of diabetes, campaigners say many hospital staff do not know how to properly administer insulin – one of the main treatments.

Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that 40 per cent of diabetes patients have experienced medication errors. Simon O’Neill, of Diabetes UK, said one of the most common mistakes was giving insulin without food, causing blood sugar levels to fall dangerously low.

‘Hospitals are particularly bad at managing diabetes,’ he said.

‘There is a large number of medication errors. Patients are often given insulin without giving them food at the same time causing them to have a hypo – low blood sugar.

‘Staff don’t properly monitor them so we are aware of people developing foot ulcers whilst in hospital. They aren’t really tuned into their particular needs so we see really stupid things.’

More than 90 per cent of patients with diabetes have type 2, which is linked to obesity, old age and a family history of the condition.

It occurs when the body loses its ability to process blood sugar, leading to high levels that can damage organs and nerve endings and cause blindness by harming the retinas.

Patients are encouraged to eat healthily and exercise to keep blood sugar low. If this fails they are offered drugs such as insulin.